As a philosopher and intellectual, Plutarch was very interested in the natural world around him, not only in terms of its elementary composition and physical processes but also with respect to its providential ordering and "wonders." His natural philosophical writings teach us much about his perception of physical reality and about his well-reflected attitude to the natural spectacle. He found his greatest inspiration in the ontological and epistemological framework of Plato's Timaeus, but many other philosophers and writers were also of seminal interest to his project. Clearly, the...